HOULTON — The Houlton Rotary Club will present its 8th annual Community Bingo Night on Tuesday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Anthony’s Hall. The Bingo Night event was started to serve as the major fundraiser for the club’s Youth Exchange Program which sends at least two students to foreign countries on a cultural exchange for several weeks.
The Youth Exchange Program was established by the Houlton Club in 2003. The objective of the program is to advance the knowledge and world understanding of the participating students. In addition to local students traveling abroad, the program includes a reciprocal visit by a student from their host family.
Over 25 local students have benefitted from the youth exchange program since its inception and the club is committed to seeing the program continue. The Bingo Night fundraising event helps to ensure that.
“We have been fortunate to select students who have been wonderful ambassadors of the Rotary Club, our community and their schools,” said Houlton Rotary’s Youth Exchange Office Dana Delano. “We hope the experience has broadened their knowledge and interest in different cultures. They certainly make new lifelong friends.”
The Houlton Rotary Club has selected Rebecca Mooers and Anessa Wilde as their 2016 Youth Exchange students. Both participants are sophomores at Houlton High School. Mooers is the daughter of David and Nancy Mooers. Wilde is the daughter of Tim Wilde and Tracy Storti. It has recently been confirmed that Wilde will visit central Italy, while Mooers will be visiting the southern France area.
For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary Clubs.
“The Houlton Rotary Club is proud to be able to provide these life-changing experiences to the youth of our area,” said Houlton Rotarian Julie Delano, this year’s Bingo Chairperson. “We hope the public will come out to support Rotary’s Bingo Night to help fulfill the dreams of more local students.”
The doors will open for Community Bingo Night at 5:30 p.m. Early Bird games begin at 6:30 p.m. with regular games starting at 7 p.m. More than $1,700 in cash prizes will be given out during the evening which includes a $400 Blackout Game and a Winner Take All Game. Ages 16 and older are eligible to play.
There will also be a chance to win a $50 Andy’s IGA Gift Card for those who bring an item for the Mildred Madigan Food Pantry. Further details on the event are available on the club’s website www.houltonrotary.org and on Facebook.
